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OI-IRIS N. SMITH, OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO G. A. ROWE, OF SAME PLACE.

coFl-'IN-LID FASTENER SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 604,848, dated May 3l, 1898.

Application filed May 12, 1897. Serial No. 636,185. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRIS N. SMITH, residing at Elgin, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coffin-Lid Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved fastening device more especially adapted for securing coffin-lids; and it primarily has for its object to provide devices of this character which will automatically lock the lid to the coffin-body and hold it thereon practically airtight.

My invention also seeks to provide a device of this kind so constructed and arranged that the same can be manipulated to instantly remove the lid.

Furthermore, my invention has for its object to provide a fastener and lock means for the purposes stated of a very simple and inexpensive construction which can be easily applied to the ordinary coffin-bodies and lids and which are entirely concealed from view by the overlapping edge ,of the lid or cover.

With other objects in View, which will be hereinafter referred to, my invention consists in a lid-fastening means embodying the peculiar combination and novel arrangement of parts, as will be iirst described in detail, and then be specifically pointed out in the appended claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a coffin with my improvement applied. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the coffin-body and the lid, said lid being shown inverted. Fig. 3 isa detail longitudinal section taken on the lines 3 3 of Fig. 2, the lid being held locked on the body. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the wedge lock-plates. Fig. 5 is a similar view of one of the T- head lock-plates. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the combined wedge-lock and latch-plate. Fig. 6aM is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 2, the lid being locked on the body.

In practical application of my invention the fastener members are so applied to the body and the lid that by simply placing the lid on the cofinbody and sliding it forward causes the said fastener members to engage with each other, and thereby secure the lid in place, the construction of the fasteners being such that the forward sliding motion of the lid will serve to draw it tightly down on the coffin, and thereby make practically an air-tight fit.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings,in which like numerals indicate like parts Vin all of the figures, 1 indicates the coffin-body,

which may be of any approved form, and 2 the lid, the edges of which lap the coffin sides in the usual manner. The upper edges of the sides of the cofn have a series of sockets 3 3, the upper edges of which terminate at transverse seats 3a 3a, which may extend entirely across the said edges, as shown, but need not necessarily do so.

5 indicates a series of wedge lock-plates, each of which consists of a smooth top plate 6 of a width and length to fit ilush in the seats 3a 3a and which have keyhole-slots 7, the head portion 7 a of which is made,preferably,square, and at the point where it merges with the shank portion 7b it has beveled edges 7 C for a purpose presently described.

The plate 5 at the sidesof the head portions 7iL of the slot has pendent lugs 8, which snugly fit against the sides of the sockets 3, and at the sides of the shank portion 7b of such slot it has pendent wedge members 9, the heel of which is adjacent the rear end of the slot 7 b, while the point terminates at the lugs 8, which have their ends adjacent the wedges 9 beveled, as at 8f". The outer edges of the wedges 9 also form lateral bearings to engage the sides of the pockets, as clearly shown in Fig. 7.

The several plates 5 are secured to the coffin-body by screws 5b 5l.

The lid 2 has a series of seats 10, which coincide with the pockets in the coffin-body, in which the plates 11 are held ush with the lower face by the screws 11a 11a. The plates l1 have centrally-disposed pendent T-headed lock-lugs 12. One of the plates 11 has an extension 11C, provided with an opening 11b, through which passes a lock-stud 14:, secured IOO movement of the catch member 16, secured to the lock-studand lhavinga finger portion 16, projected below the edge of the lid, as clearly shown in Fig. l.

To close a coffin having my improved fasteners, the lid is placed on the body with the T-lugs passed down into the head portions of y tightly down on the body. It will benoticed' by reference to the drawings that the relation of the lock-lugs, the wedges, ythe keyslots, and the lock-,opening in the end and the lock-,plate is such thatafter the lid has been slid forward until it has been x.drawn down tight the spring-lock stud willbe in position Ato pass down into the head endof the slot in the vsaid end lock-plate,and Vthereby hold the lid locked to the coffin-body.

To remove the lid, the operator by linger manipulation raises the lock-stud vout of engagement with the end lock-plate and pulls the lid back, which causes the lock-lugs to enter the head portion of the slot, the heads being guided into a proper position ,into such slots by the beveled edges of the lugs 8.

While I have described in detail but one lock device, it is obvious that in practice the y llid will have a pair of such locks, one at each side, as shown in thedrawings.

As the lid is slid forl Instead of making the lock-lugs and the wedges .integral with their securing-plates they may be detachably connected with such plates, if desired.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the advantages and complete operation of my invention willbe readily understood. The same is of an exceedingly simple nature and capable of such manipulation that the lid can be quickly attached to or removed from the coffin-body without the use of ascreW-driver or other implement.

W'hile'I have shown my improvement as applied to a coffin, it is manifest its use is applied to any box having a removable lid.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The combinationwith the coffin-body, havinga series of pockets in the ,upper edge of its sides, each havinga lock-.plate having `a .keyhole-,slot having beveled portions 7c pendent Wedges 9 having the beginning-,point 0f incline at the said beveled portions, landhaving pendent lugs 8 `at such point of beginning, said lugs having bevelededges 8, of a `lid having a series of lock-plates having T- heads, all being arranged substantially as shown and described, whereby the shank of the lock-plate will be lguided by the edges 70,

-and the head by the beveled edges 8, when the parts are joined as hereinbefore described.

CHRIS N. SMITH. Witnesses:

A. G. WAITE, MAY E. IfIoUsToN. 

